1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new and improved heel supporting protective boot for bed patients and more particularly to a heel supporting boot for bed patients having a friction reducing element beneath a patient's leg for permitting free sliding movement of the boot over the bed surface without interference or bunching-up of the bed linens. The present invention is an improvement over the heel supporting boot for bed patients disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,738 issued Feb. 5, 1980 and incorporated herein by reference. The heel supporting protective boot of the present invention is especially designed for supporting a patient's leg at a position spaced away from the heel which is elevated above the bed surface for reducing or preventing the incidence of decubitus ulcers which are common to long term bed patients. In addition, the heel supporting protective boot is designed for preventing a malady known as foot drop and is especially adapted to provide good air ventilation with ample air circulation around the inside surface of the boot.
2. Background of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 2,911,657 to Streeter III discloses a leg and foot rest for supporting both feet of a patient with the heels in an elevated position.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,986,747 to Posey discloses a footboard designed to prevent a patient's feet from splaying apart permanently.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,011,494 to McGowan discloses a protective pad for bed patients which employs a heel cover having a surface in contact with the surface of the patient's heel.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,216,417 to Posey discloses a protective shield for bed patients adapted to protect parts of the patient's body which are commonly subjected to bed sores.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,233 to Holy, Jr. discloses a foot protector for supporting the foot of a bedridden patient to protect the foot from abrasion against the sheets.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,884 to Peter discloses a foot-boot apparatus designed to immobilize and protect the feet of bed patients to prevent bed sores, foot drop, and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,691,658 to DiPerno et al. discloses an article of footwear having an inner boot and an outer shell designed to protect the foot in cold weather.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,693,619 to Williams discloses a cushion protector for bony protuberances of the body having convoluted foam adapted to fit adjacent the body of the patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,437 to Wiedmer discloses a bed shoe for preventing foot drop having means for connecting the heel portion to an exercise system so that the patient's leg may be exercised while in bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,936,959 to Hanson et al. discloses a ski boot with a replaceable liner having a semi-rigid shell with a two piece liner system, one section covering a forward portion of a user's foot from behind the ankle bones and a second covering the heel and Achilles' tendon areas.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,022 to Walker discloses a therapeutic foot and leg protector having a rigid outer shell with a soft protective liner perforated in the heel portion to allow air to enter the shell and circulate around the heel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,442 to Boone discloses an elbow or heel protector including a knitted tubular sleeve and a pad formed of seamed together pieces of foam material to provide additional padding in the central portion of the sleeve to protect the patient from contact with seams on the sleeve.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,845 to Browning discloses a device for the prevention of decubitus ulcers on the human heel having a reservoir cushion positioned between the back of the user's ankle and the surface on which the user reposes causing the heel to remain suspended above the surface to remove pressure therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,022 to Stockli et al. discloses a boot for aquatic activities including a sock of elastomeric material covered with "NYLON" fabric on one or two sides and an outsole together with a back stay, toe-cap and foxing made of non-cellular rubber and directly vulcanized together as a unit on the sock.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,588 to Berguer now reissued as U.S. Pat. No. Re. 33,090 and reexamined thereafter, discloses an isothermic protective boot designed particularly for patients with arterial disease and having an inner lining and outer cover formed of soft non-allergenic material with a double layer of soft, flexible, compressible isothermic material between the outer cover and the inner lining.